Nexus 5 Remains Possible Alongside Galaxy S4, HTC One

Google is not abandoning the Nexus platform in favor of offering Nexus editions of popular smartphones, pointing to a Nexus 5 and future versions of the Google Nexus smartphones.

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There was some concern that Google was shifting the Nexus program to the back burner after announcing the Samsung Galaxy S4 Nexus and HTC One Nexus devices. These Google editions of the best Android smartphones actually carry a Google Edition branding, but that hasn’t stopped them from earning the Nexus name.

Sundar Pichai, SVP of Chrome and Apps confirmed the Nexus program is here to stay while speaking at AllThingsD 11 today. Just after announcing the HTC One Google Edition would arrive in July, Pichai reiterated support for the Nexus line of smartphones.

Walt: So you won’t make more Nexus devices?

Pichai: The goal with Nexus was to push forward hardware with partners. That will continue as well.

Google is committed to the Nexus program, giving hope for the Nexus 5 this fall.

This is good news, and shouldn’t come as a complete surprise with rumors of a Nexus 5 smartphone for later this year and a Nexus 7 2 tablet that could arrive this summer.

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Despite rumors, LG says it is not working on the Nexus 5 as a followup to the popular LG Nexus 4, but the company says it is open to working with Google again.

Pichai’s comment shows how Google will continue to focus the Nexus program. When the Nexus 4 arrived it offered one of the best Android smartphone experiences in terms of build-quality. The glass back is fragile, but the phone stood out in a sea of plastic Android smartphones. Today it cannot compare to the HTC One, but the phone served a purpose of pushing Android hardware forward.

Google’s obsession with sensors could spill over to the Nexus 5.

The Nexus 5 could serve the same purpose, and with the moves made by the latest Google Edition smartphones we could see a Nexus 5 with LTE. Based on all the talk about sensors at Google I/O 2013, where Google monitored the noise, air quality and more with small sensor motes, we could see a big push for more sensors in the Nexus 5 with support for more sensors and access to third-party apps in Android 5.0.

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Assuming the next Nexus smartphone is the Nexus 5 we could see it launch this Fall with the rumored Android 5.0 update that we’ve heard so much about.